Pakistan has posted a plunge in the number of everyday coronavirus infections and fatalities as the country registered 290 cases and two deaths during the last 24 hours (Friday), showed the figures released by the National Institute of Health Pakistan on Saturday morning. As per the NIH data, the death toll in the country now surged to 30,571 after adding the two new deaths while the number of total infections now stood at 1,568,183 after adding the fresh 290 cases. During the last 24 hours (Friday), 16,570 tests were conducted throughout Pakistan whereas the positivity ratio stood at 1.75 percent. The number of patients in critical care was recorded at 123. The World Health Organization's Covid chief said Friday it was time for a reality check on the virus after the millionth death from the disease this year. Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO technical lead Covid-19, said the toll was heartbreaking because the tests, treatments, vaccines and public health measures to control the disease were all available.Given we're in the third year of the pandemic, it  all the more so tragic given that we have the tools that can actually prevent these deaths," she told a live interaction on the WHO social media channels.

Credit:
Independent News Pakistan-INP